Memory Lane
by strictlyficly
Summary: She wants to know the story of how her parents met and Damon tries not to disappoint.


**A/N: So I'm not even sure how this turned out but it's been in my docs for forever and I'm tired of looking at it. A little background is that this is heavily based on the movie "Definitely Maybe". I originally had it in mind as a Stefonnie fic but the more I wrote the more it came off as Bamon. At least as far as the main couple in the movie wise. So I switched it up but kept the pairings I had set in mind when it was Stefan centric which I think makes it obvious. Also pretty much everyone (and by pretty much I really mean that everyone) is OOC as they always are in my fics. But I hope you enjoy it anyway and if not thank you for reading. And please go easy on me as this is my first time trying at the pairing. Also if y'all make it through this—even half of it you're a real one. Either way, thank you for even giving it a shot.**

* * *

He didn't expect to be served divorce papers at two thirty in the afternoon and yet here it was. On the same day out of three per week that he gets to have his little girl all to himself.

And on top of that when he arrives at her school to pick her up, he's greeted to complete chaos. Screaming matches between parents at their wits end caught completely off guard at questions from their children formed from the apparent sex education class held. While other parents have taken to ranting and raving to school faculty and when he hears "Was I an accident?" come from his daughter in a timid voice as if she were afraid of the answer. He wants to go right back to the school and join in with the other parents all rightfully upset with the school's impromptu class.

"Was I?" Miranda Salvatore repeats looking up at her father when instead of responding, he only holds the door open for her to walk inside of the high rise building housing his loft.

Damon Salvatore blinks and looks down at his daughter, the spitting image of her mother. Who decided that it was best to end things after ten years of what he thought was happiness but apparently just content. Sure they had their disagreements but what couple didn't?

Though he supposes that it shouldn't have come as a surprise with them having been separated for the past month and a half. His soon to be ex wife having apparently moved her belongings out of their shared home not too long after he had done the same on her request.

"Dad," Miranda tries again, looking up at him expectantly.

"No, of course not."

Wide brown eyes stare back at him before they narrow. "You're lying."

Damon frowns then laughs "You've been spending way too much time with your Aunt Katherine."

"And now you're avoiding." She says reaching into the side pocket of his messenger bag handing him the key to the mailbox to which he looks at her questionly before taking it.

"You weren't an accident," Damon makes a point of holding her stare so she knows he's being honest, then turns to retrieve his mail "Just a very big surprise that I was actually excited about." He says, ushering her into the elevator and pressing the button to the tenth floor.

…

He can't say he's surprised when that's far from the end of things and yet he still almost chokes on his food when she tries another approach to see if she can catch him in a lie.

"I think you should tell me the story about you and my mom."

Damon looks up at her, meeting her eyes from across the table. Noting her choice of words that have been a constant as of late.

"Why do you keep saying "my mom" like I don't know who she is?"

"Because it makes you sad when I just say mom."

"What makes you think that?" Damon looks at her wondering where this was coming from.

"The way your eyes lower whenever I talk about her." Miranda answers before a frown appears on her features "And stop doing that. It's not going to make me give up."

Damon grins and raises his glass of water to his lips.

"And I want the real story. Not the basic filtered one parents tell their kids to placate them and make them think Disney movies have merit in the real world."

"So what exactly do you think we are to each other?" Damon chuckles deciding to ignore the dig at Disney.

Miranda only looks at him and he sighs.

"Why?"

"Because I want to know what happened."

"And if I don't agree, you're going to give me the silent treatment until I give in."

"Am I that predictable?"

"Your mom is." Damon smiles then goes back to eating his food "One thing everyone seems to forget is that I'm not as easy to break as my brother."

"Okay," Miranda concedes with a grin and lift of her shoulders "I'll just ask Uncle Kol. I'm sure he knows the story and won't be so stingy with the details."

Damon stills knowing all to well of his friend's lack of tact and closes his eyes "Fine,"

Miranda beams.

"But I'm not telling you who your mom is." watching as her triumphant demeanor fades "You're going to figure it out on your own. I'm changing everyone's names and some of the details."

"So you're turning this into a cheesy romance mystery?"

"Exactly,"

"Fine," She shrugs.

"Finish your dinner." Damon says getting up from the table with his empty plate "All of it."

She drops her eyes to her plate where the vegetables reside untouched and knows that he anticipated it all.

* * *

He sits at the foot of her bed waiting until she makes herself nice and comfortable. Surrounded by pillows and stuffed animals and a notebook with several markers within arms reach.

"Okay," Miranda nods.

"Once upon a time there was an unbelievably handsome young college student named-"

"Ian," Miranda interrupts, laughing when Damon looks at her "You said you were changing all the names."

"Yeah no," Damon looks at her unimpressed, continuing on as if she never interrupted him "Damon Salvatore in a town called Mystic Falls. And he was madly in love with his high school sweetheart…" he trails off searching for a name "Nina." He settles, and finds that it actually suits the woman in question.

"Nina," Miranda says noting the name "Pretty," she compliments the choice of name, narrowing her eyes when the title registers "I thought you met Mom when you two were in elementary school."

"We did," He confirms.

"And she said that you guys had been together since the seventh grade."

Damon looks at her as if to ask what that had to do with anything.

"High School Sweetheart." she stresses the title "High school comes after middle school. Nina is my mom." She grins.

"Is she?" He challenges.

Miranda opens and closes her mouth several times but then crosses her arms and leans back in her bed waiting for him to go on ignoring the smile on her father's face as she writes the name on a page of her notebook.

_December 31, 1991_

_It doesn't take him long to spot her despite the room being packed wall to wall with students all in various states of inebriation. Spotting her by the wall talking to her sister and his little brother that seems to be under the influence going by how Stefan is actually smiling and he immediately goes to join them. Returning the warm smile Elena greets him with._

"_Hey,"_

"_Hey," He wraps his arms around her waist pulling her against him. Sparing a brief glance to their respective siblings before the two go off to their own devices. Katherine dragging Stefan off to an abandoned room to be more accurate._

"_Ten...nine...eight...seven...six..."_

"_Perfect timing." Elena wraps her arms around his neck pulling him down to her as soon as the crowd finishes the countdown into the new year._

"Gross," Miranda scrunches her nose. It was one thing to know how she got here but she didn't care to hear anything about her parents or anyone else her father spent his time with beyond how they met.

"Yeah, well."

_January 11, 1992_

"_I cannot believe that you're leaving Elena here with me so you can go to New York and chase this pipe dream of making it to the White House."_

_Elena looks towards the open door where Malachai Parker is leaning against the threshold, eating from the bowl of cereal in his hand as he goes on._

"_And props to you Elena," he says in between chews making her grimace "The girls there are hot. I wish there were more women like you. So trusting and secure in their relationship. Personally not even I could do it but-"_

_Damon casually walks over to the door and pushes it until it's closed despite his roommate being mid sentence._

"You shared an apartment with a man that hit on your girlfriend and left them alone together?" Miranda cuts in "I know your not using real names here but whoever this Chris guy is. He sounds like a jerk."

Damon laughs and nods his head "Yeah, he was."

"_You're not actually listening to him, are you?" Damon questions seeing the worried look that clouds the brunette's features._

_Elena shifts her gaze from the now closed door to her boyfriend "I trust you but Kai is right. New York is thousands of miles away and the girls there-"_

"_Will be nonexistent to me." Damon cuts her off "What's really bothering you?"_

"_That New York will change you. It's not like here. There's people and things to do. What if you won't want to come back?"_

"_Except the most important person in my life is here waiting for me and is actually entertaining this pipe dream of mine instead of making fun of it like everyone else."_

"_Understandably so," Kai remarks walking through the door leading to the connecting bathroom in between their bedrooms._

"_Get the hell out." Damon looks at his roommate who flinches at both his tone and the look in his eyes and wordlessly goes back the way he came. Turning back to Elena when he feels her shifting away from him to see her reaching for something on the nightstand. "What is this?"_

"_Something that I need you to deliver to a friend of mine. She lives in New York now. I've been meaning to give it back to her but it seemed impersonal to send it through the mail."_

"_A friend of yours?" Damon repeats seeing the name on the wrap job "Caroline Forbes as in daughter of chief editor of Vogue Magazine Caroline Forbes is a friend of yours?"_

"_You've heard of her?" Elena raises an eyebrow, amusement present in her eyes at the reveal._

"_She was holding open submissions for up and coming authors so I tried to get into contact with her so she could take a glance at your book. Her assistant got back to me a few days ago so I was going to drop the copy off when I made the appointment."_

_Elena stares up at him for a full minute, her eyes watering before leaning up to place a kiss to his lips "I love you so much."_

"_I love you too." Damon smiles down at her, allowing her to push him until his back hits the mattress but just as they start to get into it the sound of horn signalling the arrival of his cab puts an end to it._

"_I'll call you when I land." He says to her after placing his suitcase in the trunk. Pulling her into a hug and placing a kiss to the top of her head._

"_Okay," Elena readily nods watching as he climbs into the car and returns his wave as the taxi starts to pull off._

_He can't help but smile when he sees her walking out into the street and holding his stare until the car rounds the corner._

"Oh," Miranda breathes making Damon look at her in concern "It's just that I thought that she was my mom but this doesn't sound like it's going to end well. And everyone knows that High School Sweethearts don't always get the happy ending."

Damon tries to keep his face neutral at that, getting the feeling that she's baiting him again.

"So maybe this Candice person is her." she rambles on "Mom does like to write and she is a published author."

Damon smiles "She told you about that?"

"Not that much of a secret." Miranda grins remembering the scattered mess that becomes of her mother's home office. Yet never her actual office.

_January 14, 1992_

_He walks into the campaign office taking in how lively it is. People running around the room, some typing furiously into computers while others yammer into the phones practically glued to their ears._

"_Damon Salvatore?"_

"_Yes,"_

"_Tristian De Martel," The man dressed in an elaborate suit greets him with his hand out before turning around and walking looking over to see if Damon has followed his lead. Frowning at the manilla envelope Damon is holding out for him to take and can't help but smile at what he says are drafts of several different speeches contained inside. He never wanted to be the crusher of dreams and yet it doesn't stop him. "You've really taken this seriously. I will be sure to look these over but until then here's the list of all that we need, as soon as you possibly can."_

_Damon can't help but frown when he's handed back his work along with a piece of lined paper containing coffee orders along with donuts and bagels._

"_Actually ten o'clock. I hope that's enough time." Tristian glances at the clock causing Damon to do the same that reads nine thirty before walking over to a shelf and grabbing a bulky device from a cardboard box._

"_What is this?" Damon asks._

"_A cell phone. You'll need one to work here."_

_Damon stares at the phone for a moment then looks back up to Tristian who has his lips pressed together in a straight line. His eyes going to the door before looking back to him. And he turns to leave but stops when a pretty brunette strolls past him._

"_Hi," She addresses him with a smile._

"_Hi," Damon replies, looking away as soon as he sees the flash of interest in her amber colored eyes. His own inadvertently going to two people—one man, the other a woman—looking back at him clearly amused at his confusion before the man leans forward._

"_The nearest coffee shop is two blocks over and the lines are terrible at this time."_

_Damon doesn't need to be told twice._

…

_He also doesn't need to be told twice when he's told he can head out for the day. His day spent doing embarrassing tasks that he never wants to speak of again. He ducks into the first liquor store he sees and asks for a pack of Marbs. His eyes bulging at the price but doesn't have the energy to complain and hands over a five, holding his hand out for his change. Knowing that he'll need all that he can get from the prices he's heard thrown at him so far._

"Wait!"

Damon jumps, taken aback by his daughter's outburst.

"You smoked?" Comes his daughter's outraged voice, eyes filled with disbelief and he can't help but look down in shame. Feeling as if he's the child caught doing something wrong by the parent and realizes his slip up. So much for leaving out certain details.

"No" he denies with a shake of his head but stops "I...yes."

Miranda looks at him as if she were waiting for his explanation and he can't help but comply.

"I used to smoke but I haven't done so in years. I was young and it was before I knew how bad they were."

"Right," She agrees, clearly unconvinced.

_January 24, 1992_

_He walks into the copy room to see a girl with her back turned towards him, hovered over the copy machine with a hand held fan as she waits for her current print job to finish._

"_Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt." he stops and swallows when she turns to face him, brown skin glistening, black hair piled on top of her head and green eyes scanning his frame before narrowing once they return to his face making him self conscious "Can I...can I get ten copies?" He stammers keeping his eyes low. She was hard to look at. Her beauty somewhat ethereal, like if you stared for too long she might disappear, or get you struck by a lighting bolt sent straight from the heavens._

"_You're Toilet Paper Guy." She says, a wide grin on her face, eyes sparkling with amusement, voice teasing clearly enjoying herself._

"Wait, who's that?"

"_That,_" Damon pauses trying to search for a name but decides to use her own. It had been too long since he had the chance to and it feels damn near therapeutic to say it out loud. Reveling in the taste it leaves on his tongue. "is Bonnie,"

"Bonnie," Miranda repeats with raised eyebrows.

Damon nods, watching as she jots down the name before going on.

"_You heard about that." Damon shifts on his feet, his eyes involuntarily going back to the scene of the crime. Noting that it was just out of the window, which means..._

"_I saw it," she reveals, confirming his suspicion and he immediately wants to crawl into a hole "I was going to go and help you but…" she trails off and points her index finger to the stack of papers waiting for her "You can put them there, as you can see it's going to take a while."_

"_No," he steps forward, desperation creeping into his voice "please I need them for Elijah."_

"_Elijah, huh?" She says, flitting her eyes to the man in question who immediately looks at her as if she's called for him. A small smile on the man's perpetual neutral face the moment he catches Bonnie's eyes, before a frown takes its place once Elijah spots himself standing a bit too close for his liking. Afterwards returning his attention to the brunette standing before him, lips pressed together. Whatever interest Elijah may have had in what the girl were saying before he caught Bonnie's gaze completely gone._

"_Yeah," Damon confirms, worry flooding him at the implication "you two uh…"_

_Bonnie looks at Damon making it clear that she's not going to give him an inch._

"_Are you with him? It's just that I was starting to think that it was impossible for him to smile." He rushes to get out once he sees her eyes narrow._

_She laughs then looks to something over Damon's shoulder and he follows her line of sight to the man that gave him the heads up after being given his first given task._

"_Oh," Damon says noting the questioning—almost accusatory—look in the caramel colored hair man's eyes when he spots the two of them staring at him. Narrowing his eyes at Bonnie then looks towards the woman with skin that mirrors Bonnie's own as she sets an envelope on his desk before going on her way. Unlike the man, never once looking their way._

"_Oh?" Bonnie mocks before shaking her head "No, they're my best friend's brothers. I've known them since I was a kid."_

"_So this is a family ran thing?"_

"_Not really, their parents are in real estate. They're just really into politics...well power. Lijah in particular. He wants to be President one day and I think he might actually be able to get there. Or at the very least make a formidable candidate. As for me, I'm just here because the job pays more than the one I was working before. That and Bex begged me." she walks over to where Damon is standing and holds out her hand "How many did you need again?"_

"_Of what?"_

"_Copies," Bonnie repeats with a smile noting the hint of red coloring his cheeks "How many do you need?"_

"_Oh," he drops his eyes to the papers in his hand "Uh, ten," _

_She nods and waits for the remaining papers to come out then starts on his._

"No offense Dad, but you're kind of coming off as a skank."

Damon tries to frown, knowing that he should scold his daughter for her tongue but a laugh comes out instead "When did I ever say that Claire was a possibility?" He questions once he sees his old friend's name on the paper.

"If she wasn't you would've just left her as Bonnie's friend. Not to mention the "Hey," woman."

Damon nods out hs acknowledgement of her point but still denies it. Though is mindful that Miranda is not buying it.

"_So you're just political adjacent?" Damon questions as he waits for his requested copies. Getting the feeling that if he wanted to stick around then she would definitely be one of the people who he needed to be in their good graces. But not too close if he wanted to be in Elijah's._

"_I prefer apolitical, and here to keep a roof over my head."_

"_But what about equality? Women's rights? Both of which he is all for."_

"_Because being a part of a political party is actually going to change what people already have their minds set on." she snorts "No offense, Toilet Paper Guy but this isn't something that you're going to change my mind about."_

"_It's Damon, actually."_

"_Damon," Bonnie repeats as if she were trying to commit it to memory. Turning back to the machine when it stops and starts on the other paper he handed her. "Well Damon, I've been around the people you're working with for pretty much my whole life and they've yet to make a dent in my views on the land of the free. But if you think you can change it, then maybe you're in the right place after all. Especially if you're openly supporting a man that has stepped out on his wife."_

"_Allegedly," Damon stresses "And I don't need to change your mind, he will."_

_Bonnie nods her head with an impassive look on her face before their attention is forced to go to the tv and she can't help but laugh at what she sees "Looks like you were right, he definitely is all for women."_

_Damon only looks at her, taking the papers she holds out for him and turns to leave._

"_We should do this again sometime." Bonnie calls out after him, grinning when he turns back to her with a pinched look on his face but finds himself nodding in agreement._

"Dad, please tell me you didn't."

"We're not there yet." Damon replies.

Miranda scoffs making her disapproval in his life choices clear once again.

_January 26, 1992_

"_It'll blow over. It always does when you have a dick." Camille O'Connor says with an eye roll from her place inbetween Marcel Gerard and Kol Mikaelson._

_They all left the office three hours ago and mutually decided to go for drinks after the day they just had._

"_Careful there Sweetheart, you're starting to sound like Bonnie." Kol cautions with a smile as he refills his glass from the pitcher of beer in the center of the table._

"_Maybe because it's starting to sound like she has the right idea." The blonde retorts._

_Kol chuckles then turns to Damon noting the way he looks up at the mention of his friend and turns to the brunette at Damon's left who seems just as interested though equally disheartened._

"_Damon," Rose starts waiting until he turns to her. Wanting to shift Kol's attention elsewhere. "you said there was a girl waiting for you back home, right?"_

"_When is she coming to visit? We'd love to meet her." She quickly adds once Damon nods his confirmation of her question._

"_I'm trying to get her to come."_

_Rose raises an eyebrow at his answer. She wants to say more but is stopped as Damon's attention goes to Rebekah Mikaelson when the blonde comes to a stop at their booth. A woman with caramel hued skin, brown eyes and long free flowing chocolate colored waves at Rebekah's side greeting them all with a smile until she sees Damon. And Rose can't help but notice how intrigued Damon seems to be at Rebekah's presence though it pales in comparison to how he's perked up at Lucy's. She thinks that she'll have to snap her fingers in his face to get his attention away from the woman as much as she would for Kol's._

_Damon doesn't think it'd be in his best interest to engage the brunette anymore than he already has. So when her attention goes elsewhere he jumps at the chance to do the same and is stunned at what he sees. He would have never expected the blonde to make it past the door in a place like this without turning her nose up and yet here she is. Shrugging her coat off and making herself comfortable in their booth. Before he gets the chance to tease Rebekah a voice forces his attention to go them. Going by the way Kol has straightened in his seat, Damon figures that this is the woman he saw the day he met Bonnie as he was only provided with a view of her back as she paid him no mind. _

"_Toilet Paper Guy," The woman addresses him, smiling at his response._

"_I prefer Damon but," He shrugs, ignoring the snickers her greeting earns._

"_Well, Damon," She says and he can't help but frown. There's an odd sense of deja vu at it all. One that nearly has him waiting for her to pull off a mask and poke fun at how easy he is but it never comes. "I'm Lucy,"_

"_Lucy," He repeats staring at her, still waiting for the teasing and she looks at him warily before something seems to dawn on her._

"_You met my little sister, huh?" Lucy laughs and there it is once again "Yeah, we always hear how alike we are but I guess they mean more personality wise than looks."_

"_Bonnie didn't mention she had a sister."_

"_Bon has never been one to brag." Lucy grins then turns to Kol who is staring up at her hanging on every word that falls from her lips. Damon can't say he's surprised when instead of a blush tinting her face, Lucy smiles at Kol and runs her fingers through his hair. Smile widening when he leans into her touch._

"Nina, Candice, Bonnie, Leah, Lauren, Claire, and Natasha." Miranda lists off the names on her fingers "It's getting a little hard to keep up here, Dad."

"It is possible for men and women to just be friends. And what makes you so sure that Candice is an option, here?"

"Isn't she?"

Damon lifts his shoulders, glancing at the paper in his daughter's lap. Nearly laughing at the small question mark she makes next to Candice.

"_What is all that noise?" Elena asks and he can picture every movement. From the frown on her face to her pressing the phone closer to her ear as if she'll be able to figure it out on her own if she does such._

"_My annoying co-workers that like to make fun of people in committed relationships." Looking back and forth between his roommate for the time being._

"_And that would love to meet the other half of this committed relationship!" Kol yells against the glass of the phone booth Damon sits in. His eyes going to the left to look away from his friend. Only to be greeted to the sight of Rebekah and Rose as they speak amongst themselves despite the latter's eyes being on him._

"_You should come," he looks away from the brunette "I think you'd like it here."_

"_Yeah? What makes you think that?"_

"_The energy, the people, the opportunities." he lists off and frowns when she lets out a heavy sigh "What?"_

"_You like it there."_

"_Yes," He says without hesitation, not understanding the resignment in her voice._

"_By the time this is all over you won't want to come back to me. You'll want me to come to you."_

"_Elena," Damon sighs into the phone "I'm just asking you to visit. I would hop on the next plane to come see you if I could without losing this job."_

"_I know," She breathes._

"_Then what is it?"_

"_Nothing, I just miss you."_

"Hm," Miranda hums making Damon look at her but goes on when she shakes her head.

_February 1, 1992_

_He's eyeing the package he's yet to deliver on his girlfriend's request when Kol walks into the room, appearing smug as ever._

"_Good night?"_

"_It was okay," Kol replies with a shrug, but the wide grin on his face betrays him._

"_Lucy finally looked at you for more than three seconds, huh?" Chuckling at the look his remark earns._

"_What is that?" Kol juts his chin towards the package in his hands._

"_I'm not sure. Elena asked me to give this to her friend that lives in the city."_

"_You've been here for weeks and you haven't done it yet?"_

"_She didn't get back to me until this morning. I'm taking it to her tomorrow."_

_Kol nods then swiftly snatches it from his hand, moving across the room and carefully opens it "A diary." He says walking back over to Damon just as he's gotten out of bed. Both going over to their beds to sit down._

"_Read it," Kol goads "You know you want to. At least a page."_

_Damon stares at his roommate then drops his eyes to the leather bound book "It's an invasion of privacy."_

"_Not Elena's." his friend points out "I doubt she'd have you deliver her journal to someone else."_

_Damon bites the inside of his cheek then lets the book drop to the floor making his roommate frown until he looks down to see it's open face down against the carpet and can't help but laugh._

"_You want me to get that for you?" Kol decides to play along, quickly scooping it up and lets his eyes scan across the words. His eyes widening at what he reads._

"_What?" Damon leans forward._

"_Elena never told you about this Caroline, did she?"_

"_Only that she was her roommate in college before she got her requested transfer accepted."_

"_And nothing else?"_

"_No,"_

_Kol smirks in response and places the book on the nightstand, leaning back onto his bed._

"_Kol,"_

_The man in question only grins, reaching for the light and turns to lie on his side. His back to his roommate as he tells Damon, "Goodnight,". Pretending not to notice the faint light coming from Damon's side of the room and attempts at quiet turning of pages for the next ten minutes._

"So Candice wrote short stories about Nina and she held onto them?"

Damon nods, letting out a breath of relief when his daughter takes it at face value instead of asking questions. But feels his breath catch in his throat when it becomes clear it was a trap.

"Did they ever get published?"

He opens his mouth to respond but then stops and nods approvingly "You're good,"

"It was worth a try," Miranda shrugs.

_February 2, 1992_

_He doesn't expect a man clothed in nothing but a dark blue robe reeking of Scotch to be on the other side of the door but he manages to take it in stride and not judge. Between it not being very long out of school and the price of living in the city, he doesn't blame her for coming to stay home. Especially with how nice it is. He introduces himself and can't help but frown when instead of the name Bill Forbes, comes,_

"_Alaric Saltzman, nice to meet you Damon. Caroline stepped out to run editorials to her father but she should be back soon." Alaric informs from his place at the decanter pouring the amber colored liquid into two glasses. Picking them both up and strolling over to Damon handing one over for him to take. "Come on, live a little. You look like you could use one."_

"_Yeah, why not." Damon gives in after a moment, recalling the night before._

_One drink turns into two then three and after the sixth all he remembers is seeing the back of his eyelids. And when he comes to, he finds himself staring into a pair of baby blues standing out against fair skin with pink undertones. Framed by blonde waves forming a curtain around them both._

"_Welcome back," Comes a voice that he doesn't expect to come from her. Though it could be credited to the fact it's sounding as if they're holding a conversation in a library instead of a cozy loft. "Please tell me your name is Damon Salvatore." She says once she feels as if he's fully aware._

"_Yes,"_

"_Then it's nice to meet you." she beams holding her hand out "I'm Caroline."_

_Damon takes her hand finding himself unable to do anything but return her greeting just as happily as she seems to be. Though in his state he's sure it's not coming off as such._

"_Okay," Caroline says rising to her feet "So Elena said you had something for me. But unless there is another man walking around named Damon Salvatore you have something for me as well."_

"_Yeah...yeah," Damon gets up but seats on his feet._

"_Careful," Caroline rushes to his side and gently pushes him back down to her couch "Just point," She instructs and walks over to the bag on her lounge chair and reaching for it when he nods, handing it over to him._

"_This one is from Elena," he hands over the poorly wrapped journal, pretending to not notice the accusatory look in her eyes "And this one is from me." He hands her a thick manilla envelope that she raises her eyebrows at the weight of._

"_I'm assuming this is a manuscript."_

"_I couldn't get her to hand over one of her short pieces but I found a copy of her novel."_

_Caroline perks up "She finally finished it. That's good." she nods "Her wrapping on the other hand has taken a serious decline. Unless there's something you'd like to share?"_

"_I read a page...two...seven." He says when she only looks at him with each number he claimed before the honest answer._

"_And I'm guessing it's the chapter in her life she didn't tell you about?"_

_Damon nods his confirmation._

"_Does she know?"_

"_Not yet,"_

_Caroline laughs "So you do know that I'm an intern and not one of the higher ups. Not yet at least."_

"_I'm aware, just as I know you might have some real connections considering."_

"_Considering what?" she narrows her eyes "My father?"_

"_No, considering the fact that you're working for a high profile magazine. After graduating at the top of your class."_

_Caroline blinks then looks down "I'm sorry,"_

"_It's fine," he shakes his head "I probably would have thought the same."_

"_Well I will see what I can do. But no promises." She rushes out before turning to go over to Alaric when he mumbles something incoherently and nearly rolls off of the sofa._

"_Of course," Damon says standing up waiting until he's steady on his feet before grabbing his bag and going to the door "It was nice meeting you, Caroline and again, thank you."_

_She only smiles in response returning her attention to the man whose head is now in her lap and Damon quickly makes his exit. His suspicion being confirmed when he sees her run her hand down the side of his face._

"So Candice has a boyfriend." Miranda says and Damon can hear the disappointment in her voice. He can't help but wonder why since he hadn't given one detail about the woman until he remembers the whole writer tidbit.

"Yes,"

"So neither of you were available, that's good."

"It is?"

"Well yeah, that means that it was just the timing. And it would be lame if that was it. You and Mom met through a friend and now here I am. I want interesting."

Damon chuckles "I'll try not to disappoint you."

"You could never." Miranda assures giving his hand a squeeze before urging him to continue.

_He's waiting for the elevator when he hears the sound of heels approaching him and turns just as Caroline reaches him. Stunned into temporary paralysis when her arms are thrown around his neck and her lips are against his in the next breath. It doesn't register that he was a willing participant until she pulls away from him._

"_Ric is always saying that shying away from your curiosities doesn't exactly help your creativity. That it stifles it. So I was just…" she trails off and walks backwards "It was very nice to meet you, Damon."_

"_Yeah…" Damon laments, confusion evident and she only smiles and runs back into her home._

"Well that was nice of her. Not a lot of people go out of their way to offer to show someone around town.

"Yeah," Damon agrees, rubbing the back of his neck, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him.

_February 5, 1992_

"_One pack," he nods towards the glass behind the counter when he sees his usual cashier that nods and grabs Damon's usual citing the price and the raven haired man can only blink at him._

"_Taxes went up." The man shrugs and Damon sighs and forks over a ten._

"_Hey Jamie," A familiar voice comes from behind Damon making him still, watching as the man abruptly drops his change into his hand and turns to grab a pack of Eagles._

"_Bon," Jamie smiles and moves to speak to her "Hey, how have you been?"_

"_Good," she answers pulling out her wallet "How have you been holding up?"_

"_Good, five eighty five."_

_Damon raises an eyebrow at the fact that she doesn't flinch. Only hands over her money and takes her pack turning to him as she waits for her change. Realization settling on her features._

"_Damon," Bonnie smiles when she turns to look his way, dropping her eyes to the pack in his hand "Gross,"_

"_As opposed to your healthy sticks." He retorts._

"_My healthy sticks?" Bonnie mocks him through a laugh, that sends warmth running through his veins. Turning to Jamie and thanking him before turning to leave "Have a nice night." She's barely made it to the door when she feels Damon at her back. Looking over her shoulder when she sees him reaching for the door before she can get to it. "These actually are healthier. Less chemicals." Bonnie says as they step outside "Which makes them last longer so in the end, you're the one who's paying more."_

"_Right," Damon mockingly agrees with her._

"_You want to bet?"_

"_Twenty," He wages._

"_Twenty it is." Bonnie smiles going to lean against the brick wall "Light at the same time, equal drags."_

_Damon nods and waits until she finds her lighter "On three,"_

_Bonnie watches until they both have their fill and lets her head fall back as she lets out a stream of smoke._

"_Rough day in the copy room?" He teases noting the way she seems to actually relax at her exhale._

_Bonnie slights him with a look "Rough day with my boyfriend. He canceled on me to work on his art piece."_

_Damon frowns, in all the times that they've spoke, this was the first he was hearing of her having one._

"_I want to be mad but it's why we moved here in the first place. He got accepted into this really good art school, I couldn't let him pass that up. He asked me to come with him and I did."_

"_You packed up and left home because he asked you too?"_

"_This is going to sound really corny but, home is where the person you love is. There was nothing to keep me back to where I was before anyway. Bex was half begging me to come and visit her. Which with her means come and live with me, but in your own place. My sister was always raving about how nice New York was. You've met my sister, right?"_

"_Yeah, she said that you were her mini me."_

"_Of course she did," Bonnie grins throughout her eye roll "So I thought why not." She looks down to the cigarette in his hand that is almost halfway gone._

"_And now you're here smoking an overpriced cigarette with me."_

"_On my birthday," She mumbles making him look at her, averting her gaze when she sees the flash of pity in his eyes._

"_Happy Birthday,"_

"_Thanks," Bonnie says then looks to his hand watching him do the same._

"_I guess you were right," he concedes, flicking the bud to the ground and putting his heel to it as he takes out his wallet but stops "Are you hungry?"_

_Bonnie raises an eyebrow at him, wondering where he's going with this._

"_If it's under twenty, I'll let you keep the change." He smiles when Bonnie laughs before taking one last drag and puts out her own. Afterwards turning to lead the way._

"You went on a date with another woman while you had a girlfriend waiting for you back home?"

"It was not a date," Damon defends himself "I felt bad that her boyfriend forgot her birthday and I didn't want her to spend it alone."

"What about her best friend and her sister?"

"_Actually," Bonnie stops and turns to him "my friends are throwing me a 'surprise' party. I've been trying to kill time since I didn't want to come in alone."_

"_It didn't occur to you that maybe this art piece was your boyfriend's cover?"_

"_It's not, and that won't change no matter how much I may want it to."_

"Was she wrong?"

"No," Damon shakes his head "Unfortunately she was not. I don't think she ever was." He adds under his breath.

"And I'm not going to hear much about this party, am I?"

"Nope," He answers, combing through the nights activities in his mind. Bypassing all the shots and various doings that make him glad that they didn't have the technology they have now back then.

"_So this Elena," Bonnie starts once they're on the rooftop. She remembered hearing something about an abrupt change of temperature could sober you up. And so far, the chill that hit her like a slap to the face had done just that. "why didn't she come here?"_

"_I couldn't ask her to give her life up for me. She's in a pre-med program back home. It wouldn't have been fair to her."_

_Bonnie looks at him then looks down "And she's the one?"_

"_Yeah,"_

"_So what's stopping her from being fiance instead of girlfriend?"_

_Damon smirks and reaches into his pocket "Nothing," He answers opening the little black box._

"_Wow," Bonnie breathes staring at the subtle but statement making ring "Do you know what you're going to say?"_

"_Not really but-"_

"_No buts," Bonnie interrupts "Come on, show me what you got."_

"_No,"_

"_No?" Bonnie scoffs "It's my birthday, you're at my birthday party you can't tell me no."_

_Damon laughs "You're really going to make me do this."_

"_Yes," Bonnie replies leaning against the border of the rooftop. Pushing her hair back when a soft breeze sends her curls flying._

"_Fine," he huffs, looking down to ready himself "Elena Gilbert, love of my life, will you marry me?" Damon grumbles out._

_She looks at him with wide eyes that almost mirror Elena's and he feels a twist at his gut. But then narrows them, her arms crossing over her chest._

"_No," Bonnie declares with a frown._

"_No?" He parrots, completely taken back._

"_No," Bonnie confirms._

"_Why not?" He frowns, unaware of how his voice went up an octave._

"_You didn't get down on your knee." She manages to get out through a straight face._

"_You'd reject someone for not getting down on their knee?" Damon looks at her incredulously._

"_It's tradition! They should be followed."_

"_Like picking a political party?"_

_Bonnie tries to frown but ends up laughing "Fine," she concedes, hands raised in mock surrender "but seriously try again. I know I'm not your end all be all but at least try."_

_Damon looks at her for a moment wanting to find some way to make her feel better. Having got the feeling it was how she saw herself in general than just the situation at the moment but stops and lowers himself down to one knee. Watching as her eyes widen and she raises her hands to her mouth._

"_I can't do this if you're going to mock me."_

_Green eyes roll and her hands go to her hips "Do you want it to be realistic or not?" She gives him a look then returns to her former pose once he does the same._

_He dismisses his nerves with a deep breath and goes into a spiel about his shared past with Elena. Highlighting milestones in their relationship with details that make the amusement in Bonnie's green eyes fade and she's staring back at him in what seems to be awe. And decides to wrap it up when she averts her gaze from his._

"_I want you to be both the first thing I see in the morning and the last I see at night. Will you please give me the honor of calling you my wife?"_

_Bonnie watches as he raises his eyebrows as if genuinely waiting for her answer "If she doesn't say yes to that then I definitely will. But mainly for the ring." She adds to erase the smirk on his face. But it only serves to make him laugh._

"_I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Damon comments dryly._

"Wow," Miranda utters watching as her dad jumps and she narrows her eyes at him and goes to scribble something next to Bonnie's name. Returning her attention to him.

"_This isn't your place?" Damon frowns when he sees Bonnie heading for the door after hugging Lucy and Rebekah, and placing her lips to the top of a half dozed Klaus Mikaelson's head. Nodding with a wide smile on her face at whatever he mumbles in response. A lazy smile on the blonde haired man's face as Bonnie messes with his curls cut close to his scalp and he's back out just as he was before she came to him. Damon has only encountered the man twice—including the brief time he spent with him tonight—but he never would have never taken Klaus for a lightweight._

"_No, this is Bex's." Bonnie answers looking over to him as she shrugs on her coat. A frown settling on her face when he begins to reach for his own. "What are you doing?"_

"_I'm walking you home."_

"_Damon, you don't have to do that."_

"_No, but I'm going to anyway." He replies stepping around her and opening the door. Turning to where his friends have gathered, each—with the exception of Klaus—looking right back at him with questioning looks in their eyes. With the exception of Elijah all return his wave, and he can't miss the flash of warning in both Elijah and Kol's eyes._

**...**

"_So, I take it that this is your favorite book?" Damon asks holding up a hardcover copy of "__**I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings**_" _from his place at her bookshelf filled with the same exact title and cover as the one in his hand._

_Bonnie looks up from her place at the island covered with several herbs and liquids. Where she's making some concoction that she swears will guarantee no symptoms of the hangover he's sure he'll be feeling in the morning._

"_No," she answers but then backtracks "Well kind of but I've been looking for a specific one. I'm afraid that if I return the ones I've found." she sighs "I'll end up just coming across the same ones and being disappointed. And if by some miracle I do find mine I'll probably have enough to get me into a World's Record book by that time."_

"_Which one are you looking for?"_

"_The one my Grams' gave me. I was sixteen and I wanted a polaroid. Not a book that I couldn't care less about. No matter how good everyone claimed it was. The first time I unwrapped it was the last I touched it. At least until she died a few weeks later. When I went to read it there was an inscription in her handwriting. I just remember reading it over and again until I fell asleep. The next day I spent the whole day reading and she was right. For someone with my background it really is an essential. A little heavy for that age but still essential. But anyway, when I left home to come here, I left it home. I didn't want to take it and have it get ruined in the move. But after I finally moved out my mom sold the house. With me and my sister no longer living there. She said that it was too big and it made her sad that all the noise was gone. In the middle of her packing, the book mistakenly got put in one of the donation boxes and I've been looking for it ever since."_

_Damon only looks at her in response then looks to the shelf filled with the same exact book._

"_It's stupid," Bonnie acknowledges when she sees where his attention has shifted to "I know, but-"_

"_No," Damon rushes to get out "It's not."_

"_Thanks," Bonnie smiles at him then goes back to making her sure fired remedy._

"_So these are all just hanging out until you find your's."_

"_No, I've actually been trying to find who they belong too. One of the things that I actually want to do is start a business or at least a starter that will help people find things that they've lost. It sounds crazy and stupid but I have to believe that I'm not the only person that's desperately looking for something. Years ago we didn't have phones or computers. And with all the people out in the world with dreams and ideas that sound as crazy as mine. Someone is going to lay the foundation that will help me launch my own. I would do it myself but I don't have the background or patience to sit down and try. I find the technology that we do have hard to work with as it is. I know I couldn't create it without blowing something up or getting slapped with a lawsuit somewhere down the line."_

_Damon chuckles "What else is something that you want to do?"_

"_Live," Bonnie replies after a moment of thinking it over "What you said earlier tonight. It made me realize that I'm not even here for me. I'm here for other people. If Jere and I are meant to be then we will be able to survive some time apart. Or at the very least he should support me and what I want to do as much as I support him. My sister and definitely not my friends will like me just up and leaving but they'll get over it. It's not like I'm going to forget they exist and never come back."_

"_What about you?" She asks when he doesn't respond._

"_You expect me to be able to follow that up?"_

"_I expect you to try." She smiles._

"_Politics," He answers after taking a deep breath and ready himself for her reaction._

"_Politics," Bonnie repeats looking at him "Are you going for who you're so avidly supporting or more where you are minus the grunt work?"_

"_If I answer that are you going to laugh?"_

"_Probably,"_

"_I wouldn't be opposed to living in the White House." He admits, waiting for laughter that never comes._

"_Well, then you are definitely in the right social circle. Just don't tell Elijah until after he taps you for V.P. otherwise he'll drag you."_

"_You really think he's going to make it."_

"_I think you would too."_

"_Really?" He looks at her searching for signs of her lying, coming up empty even as she looks up to meets his stare._

"_Yes, but I'm afraid that you will lose yourself getting there. Politics…" she trails off and looks down "In the end there's no such thing as a clean race. Unless you have your team filled with people you can both trust and know won't go against what you ask or want behind your back. And even then, you'd have to and always had to have been a boy scout. I'm not saying this to discourage you, it's just to warn you."_

"_You sound like you're speaking from experience here."_

"_It's the reason my father and I aren't on the best of terms. But I obviously don't let it get in the way, otherwise I would flick Lijah to the curb."_

"_And everyone is behind him?"_

"_Except for Henrik...maybe Mikael and Esther, but you have to have someone to prove wrong. Otherwise your motivation won't be what you need it to be."_

_Damon looks down to his feet._

"_This isn't helping you is it?"_

"_Actually, this is the closest to it. I really only have my brother—who I don't get to see very much since he moved to Europe with his wife—my roommate and Elena. Kai thinks it's a pipe dream. Both Elena and Stefan support me but I don't think either of them honestly believe it'll happen either. The more I'm here, the more I think I'll be better off behind the scenes. You have eight years in the office, sixteen if you're the V.P. first but after that…" he trails off "What is your life like?"_

"_A living legend." Bonnie offers._

"_Only if you do something with it but living under a microscope. It can't be much of a life."_

_Silence hangs heavy in the air between them as Damon gets lost in his thoughts and watches Bonnie go back to mixing her herbs. Only looking away when her lips part and he realizes what captured his attention. If she noticed she doesn't let on._

"_So that's it then," Bonnie decides, carefully pouring her final product into two separate vials. Picking them up and walking over to where Damon is standing handing one to him. "Once the President is sworn in, we'll live."_

_He nods in agreement then raises the vial to his lips stopping when the smell hits his senses making him gag._

"_Yeah, it's not going to taste good but you'll thank me in the morning."_

"_I hope so," He mutters, following her lead of pinching her nose and tilting her head back. Letting the thick liquid slide down his throat and tries to ignore the taste that manages to assault his taste buds._

"_Thank you," he says after a silence falls between them "For tonight. I forgot what it was like."_

"_What, what was like?"_

"_Talking," He answers. Lately he's had problems with having conversations that held weight and even more so with being able to talk freely with someone. Stefan has moved and started a life of his own. He was his little brother's best man standing across from Elena as her sister's maid of honor the last he spent with his brother and now can only get the occasional phone call here and there. He's only seen his brother, sister-in law and nephew in pictures since. Kai had never been more than a drinking buddy, the occasional laugh here and there. And Elena has seemed to stop trying. At this point they're talking more about themselves and less about them. Bonnie's words of if it being meant to be with her boyfriend take new meaning and it worries him that he can not make it work with the woman he plans to begin a life with._

"_Yeah," Bonnie breathes meeting his eyes._

_There's a shift from comfort and mutual understanding at the current states of their respective relationships. To tension that makes each of them feel as if someone has cranked up the temperature of the room and when two pairs of eyes drop from the other to their lips. Each begin to lean forward, eyes fluttering shut but just as they feel the other's lips brush against their own they both pull away._

"_I'm sorry," She apologizes._

"_No, it's…" he trails off then abruptly turns and grabs his belongings, practically running to the door "I'll see you Monday?"_

"_Yeah," Bonnie answers mainly to herself since the door is closing behind him before she can even reply. _

"That is so sad," Miranda tears him from his vivid memory "Did she ever find it? The book," she elaborates when Damon looks at her "Did she ever find it?"

"No,"

Miranda studies him for a moment "But you did, didn't you?"

"I definitely tried."

_February 10, 1992_

_He looks around the room taking in the sight of everyone clearly enjoying themselves. If it weren't for the brighter lighting of the room and the business casual attire. He'd think he were back at Rebekah's place a mere five days ago. He starts to go over to where Marcel is standing but stops as soon as he sees Rebekah appear at his friend's side. The blue eyed blonde leading him out onto the makeshift dance floor where other couplings have gathered. For after what he believes to be Maxwell starts to croon from the speakers._

_He finds himself feeling pleasantly surprised when he spots Lucy allowing Kol to pull her close. Her arms going to wrap around his neck and Damon lifts his beer towards the man who grins at him before returning his attention to the brunette in his arms. Damon raises his bottle of beer to his lips, taking a long swig, topping it off and starts to go for another when he sees Bonnie standing across the room. Taking a breath he starts to walk over to her and feels his apprehension flee when she smiles after spotting him._

"_Hey," She greets him with a warm smile and he finds himself breathless at the sight._

"_Hey," he returns her greeting then looks down "I'm sorry about the other night," He starts when she doesn't say anything else, only takes a sip from the bottle in her own hand. The other going to tuck a stray hair behind her ear._

"_Oh no, it's fine, I don't think Jeremy...or Elena for that matter would have appreciated that very much."_

"_Well," Damon starts but stops himself from sharing his feelings on the matter._

"_Besides I don't think we match up all that well." She grins so he knows she's joking._

"_I'm not traditional enough for you?"_

_Bonnie laughs "I think it might be the other way around." She jumps up from her makeshift seat when she hears Poison start to blast through the speakers._

"_Come on, dance with me."_

"_No," Damon shoots her down without hesitation._

"_Why not?" Bonnie pouts._

"_Okay," He gives in the second he looks at her, rolling his eyes when she beams at him._

Miranda sighs and crosses out both Natasha and Claire, tapping her marker against her paper as she stares at the remaining names "Wait,"

Damon looks at his daughter patiently.

"What happened?"

"You did that thing you always do to avoid saying something you don't want to talk about. What happened with Nina?"

"Dad," She calls when he averts his gaze.

Damon sighs "She finally came to visit me."

"And…" Miranda encourages him to continue, waving her hand in a circular motion for extra measure.

_February 7, 1992_

_They're walking along the trail of the park, using the time to catch up. Trading stories about the new people they've met in the other's absence and their respective jobs._

_As soon as they hit the bridge he stops walking and lowers himself onto one knee and waits until she turns to see him. But unlike the tear filled stare from her surprise he expects, he sees a look of horror flash across her face._

"_Elena Gilbert," He starts, opening the box revealing a five carat diamond ring set in the center of a silver band._

"_Damon," Elena breathes "Damon don't." Her brown eyes wide and filled with panic urging him to stand up and stop._

"_Will you-"_

"_I slept with Kai!" She yells out over his speech when he just keeps on talking as if she hadn't said anything. Her shoulders slumping in relief as a breath escapes her that she feels like she's been holding in for a lifetime despite seeing the way his face falls at her admission._

_His first thought shouldn't be how he should thank Bonnie for her caution of proposing in a room full of people. Even if it were just yet another one of her countless teasings. Only a family of four enjoying a picnic on the opposite side of the nearby pond and a swan moving gracefully throughout the water from where he's still on his knee to witness his humiliation._

"_You slept with my roommate." He numbly repeats, waiting for surprise to hit him but it doesn't. Between his former friend's blatant flirting and advances. The way Elena seemed to become resigned to it instead of her adamant scolding as she constantly did before. And him not around to stop Kai when he went to far, how could it be one? And after the other night, did he really have the right to be upset? Just because he stopped doesn't entirely absolve his sin._

"_I'm sorry,"_

"_Yeah," he chokes out "Me too," Flinching against Elena's touch when she rushes over to him, hands on either side of his face. Yet it doesn't deter her, only has her place them against him more firmly as she makes a pulling motion making him stand up._

"_I…" she sighs "I know that there is nothing that I will be able to say to make you not hate me right now. But I really am sorry. And I know that it doesn't sound like it but I care about you so much. We were—we are—living two completely different lives that we both don't want to give up. I didn't want us to come to resent each other."_

"_So you decided that sleeping with my roommate was the best way to go about that?"_

_Elena recoils into herself at his statement "It's better that you have a reason to now than for years to go by. For our whole lives to go by and then one day we blow up on each other. What if we started a family? What were we going to do then? Be passive aggressive or hostile to each other and play the perfect couple in front of our children? Is that the life you wanted us to have?"_

"_Then you should have just broken up with me. Not lead me on, letting me think one thing and then spring this on me. How am I supposed to look at...how am I supposed to be around either of you now?"_

_Elena takes a step away from him, his words hitting her like a slap to the face but then she stills her spine. She wasn't the only one at fault. "I talked to Caroline."_

_Damon's eyes go skyward and he turns on his heel._

"_Were you ever going to tell me?" She asks and he spins back around to face her._

"_That your ex lover came to kiss me after acting on her boyfriend's advice?"_

"_You read it,"_

"_I read it," he confirms "and I almost kissed a friend the other night. We stopped when we remembered that we had other people waiting for us. Not that either of those make it better but all things considered...it makes me feel like less of an ass now."_

"_Like less of an ass," Elena repeats through a laugh "I'm glad one of us does." She remarks, voice dripping with sarcasm._

"_Is that why you did it?"_

"_I was sad and lonely and upset. You sounded so happy whenever you talked about your life here. Well except for whenever you mentioned Rose. I think I was jealous of that. Even though you spent years putting up with Kai, you talked about her like she was a…" she trails off "I'm not making this better." She says lowly._

"_Were you trying to?"_

"_No,"_

"_Just trying to make me let you go."_

"_Yes," Elena agrees through tear filled eyes, slightly annoyed at how well he knows her. Not being able to help herself she walks up to him and places a hand against his cheek, stroking it with her thumb "I will always love you, Damon. But we can't…" she sighs "Just promise me you'll take care of yourself."_

"Ugh," Miranda groans with a roll of her eyes and Damon looks down to see her making a big 'X' over Nina. Raising an eyebrow, slightly impressed by what he can see of her notes. Wondering how deep he went when he sees "Light" and "Ideal" beside Bonnie's and Elena's names respectively. "I can't believe that she let Chris be her date to the med ball."

"Yeah, me neither."

"I mean, I know you weren't around to take her but she had to know how you'd feel about that."

Damon nods rubbing the back of his neck making a mental note of running that by his ex wife.

"So that leaves "Candice, Lauren, Leah and Bonnie."

"Still hanging onto Candice, huh?"

"By the way you keep trying to make me let her go, I'm starting to think that she's Mom."

Damon chuckles.

"So you and Nina break up. Your job pretty much ended. Did you go back home? Meet someone else? Give in to one of these _friends_ of yours?" She makes a point of tapping her marker at Bonnie's name.

"I did not go back home, actually. I decided to stay in New York. I sent this thing called an email" he grins when Miranda side eyes him "to Chris telling him to send my things. Nate and I started our own consulting and advertising firm. It started slow as start ups with people that aren't very well known usually do but-"

"Dad, I don't mean to be rude but I know how that ends. You're doing very well financially. I want to know how _I_ got here."

"Well thank you," Damon says "but not really. With everything going on I didn't have the time. Things never go well if you just throw yourself into another relationship after a bad breakup."

"So you stayed single until you met Mom and got married and now here I am?" she looks at him "What about Bonnie? You seemed to be happy around her."

"Bonnie had a boyfriend so we were just friends. And when they broke up—not to long after Nina and I—she left to travel the world."

"So she just left and that's it?"

"No, we stayed in touch. She sent postcards and we wrote letters."

"Hm,"

"While she was traveling, I was working but it worked. We were really close despite the distance. Then my big break came."

"It's relevant to the story." Damon insists when she looks at him.

"Of course it is, Daddy." Miranda agrees patting his hand.

_January 15, 1993_

_Kol walks into the room behind Elijah with a big smile on his face. Holding up a small laminated poster with a familiar face on it to which Damon can't help but smile back._

_Their first target for a big name supporter._

_Someone that he actually knew and could get them to talk to him for more than ten seconds before politely declining._

_One hour later he's walking into a building and up the stairs and follows the sound of his voice. Grabbing one of the flutes a server offers he strolls over to a marble pillar and leans against it. Taking a small sip and watches on, on his old acquaintance's speech when he hears a familiar voice._

"_Damon?"_

_He leans forward and spots Caroline staring back at him, surprise clear on her face and acknowledges her with a polite smile "Caroline,"_

Miranda smiles and Damon makes a show of rolling his eyes.

"_Hey," she beams at him "How have you been?"_

"_Good, you?"_

"_I've been okay." she pauses "How's Elena?"_

"_I wouldn't know. I haven't seen or spoken to her in about a year now."_

"_Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."_

_Damon decides to not reply to that, since he can't relate to the feeling "How's the Professor?"_

"_He dumped me for a Freshman."_

"_Oh,"_

"_Mhm,"_

"_So what are you doing then?"_

"_He called in asking for a favor and I didn't have any events lined up until next month so I decided to help him out. Network while I'm here. They might have bad taste in literature but they won't look too bad on my resume."_

"_I'm an event planner now." She clarifies when she remembers the last time he saw her she was an aspiring journalist._

"_Oh, congratulations."_

"_Thank you," Caroline looks at him, noting the hesitation in his eyes "Do you have a job for me?"_

"_Would it make me an opportunist or a user if I said yes?"_

"_Only if you planned this."_

"_I didn't,"_

"_Then I'm all ears."_

**...**

_Thirty minutes later, Alaric has wrapped up his speech and is sitting at a table signing books and talking up his guests. When he looks up to see Damon at the bar._

"_Damon Salvatore," Alaric smiles when the man in question turns to face him._

"_Alaric," Damon returns the greeting._

"_I'm glad you could make it. So tell me, what are you doing these days?"_

"You're doing it again." Miranda says jarring him out of his tale "Unless this Matt, guy becomes a friend...and I'm really hoping that's not the case because he sounds like a creep. I don't care."

Damon twists his lips then opens his mouth deciding to give a brief recap not wanting to give to slip up and give too many details as he almost did before.

"Well Candice and I did start a relationship. I fell hard, but for her it was always Matt. I knew that but…" he shrugs "Anyway, I knew how much she always wanted to write. And Daniel needed publicity so I gave her the chance to write a piece about him which she did and it went well. But when it came to a follow up piece...not so much. Apparently he helped his brother out of a mess a while back, and with the help of their parents they covered it up. But it wasn't as good as they thought because Candice found it, and it launched her career as a journalist. Which was what she always wanted to do. It wasn't the area she wanted but she got her platform. Made her own name for herself without the cloud of her father hanging over her."

"Why would she do that?"

"Candice was the type of person that believed in holding people accountable for something that they did. If it was good, she wanted people to know, for them to get the recognition they deserved. If it was bad, she did not mind them having to face the consequences."

"Except for when it was her."

Damon opens then closes his mouth to think his response through "She always owned up to her mistakes, embraced her faults but wore her accomplishments more."

"I just hope she's not Mom, I would hate-"

"Hey," Damon frowns "Your mother is an amazing woman. No matter who she ends up being, you will not treat or speak to or about her as anything less. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Miranda answers, eyes low, letting several beats pass before she speaks again "So what happened with Daniel?"

"Well, with a favor I called in, word broke that Daniel switched up his stance a day before the story broke through. It did a lot of damage. People called him a hypocrite but with the warning I gave him we managed to make it work. The timing was really sketchy but people actually bought it. Everyone was hesitant to share anything with me after Candice's piece. I wasn't allowed in on certain meetings or to participate in strategies but I understood."

"And Candice?"

"We didn't recover from that. The trust was broken which she understood so as an apology she set up Daniel's comeback event. She organized this huge banquet where all the major press attended. Had an intern slip Daniel one of the speeches I wrote under their name. No one knew that we were behind it—not even me—until a few years later when he had won his campaign but by then, obviously a lot had happened. Like me leaving from not being able to do my job. My friends not exactly trusting me either. Bonnie had come back from her traveling but decided to keep her distance when she found out I was going to propose to Candice. So I was just in a really bad place."

Miranda gives him a sad smile and leans forward giving his hand a squeeze but then perks up "Bonnie came back?"

Damon nods,

"When?"

"The day when I went to pick up the ring."

Miranda grimaces.

"What?"

"Did she tell you that she was coming back or did she just show up?"

"What does that matter?"

"A lot actually." Miranda remarks but then shakes her head and looks down to her notes "So, Candice is out," she crosses the name out "But Bonnie is back,"

"Kind of,"

"Okay…" Miranda drags out the word "So we're past Candice, you don't really have a job at this point and I'm going to assume that after you pawned the ring. You and Bonnie started to talk again?"

Damon nods his head and she goes to scribble something before looking back up to him.

_January 10, 1998_

_He's on his couch in the middle of eating straight out of the carton containing his Chinese food when the President comes on the screen. He watches with raised eyebrows as he denies the latest accusation of an affair and can't help but roll his eyes. He reaches for his remote to change the channel when his phone rings._

"_Are you watching?" The voice asks, skipping all formalities as soon as the line has connected._

"_Bonnie?"_

"_Damon?" She mimics his tone, making him smile before she repeats her question._

"_Of course I'm watching. The whole world is watching."_

"_You think he did it," Damon comments when she doesn't respond."_

"_Oh, I know he did."_

"_Really?"_

"_Name one time I was wrong." Bonnie challenges "Exactly!" She says excitedly when he doesn't answer. Granted she only let five seconds pass but still._

"_I was worried,"_

"_Yeah," she breathes "I...I uh...I heard,"_

"_Is that why you finally called me back?"_

"_It's why I'm about to ask if you're free tomorrow."_

"_Like a date?" He throws her words back at her with a smile that falls as soon as she laughs as if it were a joke. And he finds that it was far from it from the way he feels as if his heart has dropped._

"_No, like two friends catching up after years of...not."_

Miranda watches her father carefully and tries to keep her face neutral when she sees his eyes lower to his hands.

_January 11, 1998_

"_So how have you been?"_

"_I've been good actually," she answers with a smile "Like really good. I'm working at a bookshop. Thinking about going back to school. I started talking to my dad again."_

_His eyebrows shoot up at the last part._

"_Yeah," she nods "Mainly because of Lucy, he showed up at Lijah's…" she stops and looks down to her menu and starts to survey the options "What do you recommend?"_

_Damon feels a tug at the corner of his lips "I was actually invited to that. I would have gone if I knew you had finally chosen a side."_

"_I'm still apolitical. I'm just not anti Mikaelson party. You should have come. I probably would have stayed until the end."_

"_You should have told me you were going."_

"_I'll be sure to keep that in mind next time." Bonnie looks up at him meeting his stare before returning her attention to the menu._

"_Are you seeing anyone?"_

"_Nope," Damon answers feeling embarrassingly giddy at her question "You?"_

"_For about seven months now."_

_His only response is a long drink from his bottle of beer until he has to tilt his head back._

"Ouch,"

Damon chuckles and nods his agreement "Ouch,"

_June 2, 1998_

_He tosses the jacket to his suit to the floor and starts to pull at his tie when he sees the light signaling that he has messages waiting to be cleared that have piled up since his dinner with Bonnie. He doesn't doubt that not at least one is from her questioning his avoiding her. Which he's ready to deny despite it being true. He opted to take a page from her book once she found out about his relationship. Dodging her calls and making excuses for why he can't make it to one of her proposed plans. The possibility of her showing up to meet him with a ring on her finger not being one that he'd be able to take._

_Still he decides to at least clear his voicemails on the off chance that one of them is actually important._

"_Hey," Bonnie's voice comes "I just really need to talk to you. Please call me back."_

_He almost presses the button to replay it but decides against it. Clearing it from his messages entirely and goes about kicking his shoes off at his closet. His whole body tensing at the next voice that comes from the machine._

"_Hey," a painfully familiar timbre fills his bedroom "I really hope this is you. It sounds like you." she pauses and he can picture her pushing her long chestnut colored locks back as she looks down at her feet "This is probably going to go unanswered and if you've made it this far without deleting it then maybe…" she trails off "I um...I'm in New York. I was thinking that we could maybe get together. Catch up? My number is-"_

_He doesn't give the chance to let the first number get out before he's deleting it completely. It's damn near orgasmic when he hears the automated voice confirming his action._

"_Hey, it's me again." Bonnie's voice rings out "I don't know what's going on with you but I really do need you to call me back. Can't exactly let you spend your birthday alone. I'll show up at the office if I have to."_

_He finds himself smiling at that. Knowing that she'll carry her threat through._

"Wait, who was that?"

"Who was who?"

"The message,"

"Oh, um…"

"It wasn't Candice or Chris," Miranda pauses "Right?"

"No,"

"Nina?"

He nods and his daughter makes a face.

"I know that Mom is either Nina or Candice. I just haven't figured it out yet."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Well you met Bonnie when you left Mystic Falls. And you knew both Nina and Candice from home. You all went to the same college and they were each other's roommates. You said you were changing details but that's a hard detail to ignore."

Damon grins and nods "Fair enough."

"I know you said I shouldn't look at Mom any different but I don't like the idea of anyone hurting you. Which they both did."

"I wasn't exactly a Saint in all of this."

"Well obviously," she looks at him "I mean I don't buy for a second that everything with Bonnie was above board. Something happened after the party but Nina wasn't innocent either. And Candice...well" she stops "I know you got back on your feet. She didn't entirely tank you, since she made it up to you. This Nate guy...that's Uncle Kol."

Damon raises an eyebrow at the fact that she's not looking at him to gauge his reaction and he knows that there's no point in denying it.

"So Natasha is Aunt Lucy who is obviously this Bonnie's" she taps the name "sister which explains why she hates you so much. And that completely rules Bonnie out. We're not in New York anymore unless New York was just a cover but Vogue is in New York and I don't know if there's any high profile magazines here in D.C.." she rambles looking up to meet her father's gaze "I just don't know."

"Kind of the point of the story, no?"

Miranda rolls her eyes.

_June 18, 1998_

"_Okay! Okay!" He yells out making his headache worse as he makes his way to the door wrapped in his comforter. When whoever is banging on his door is making it clear that they're not going anywhere until he answers. Unsurprised when he sees his pint sized friend on the other side, looking up at him with fire in her eyes, a frown on her face and hands placed on her hips._

"_Really?" She looks at him exasperated at his current state._

"_It is my birthday. You can't be mad at me on my birthday."_

_She breaks out into a laugh despite the frown she tries to maintain "Yeah, actually I can when there's people waiting for you."_

_His eyes widen and he abruptly turns on his heel remembering her mention of requiring everyone for his birthday party. The mention of Sage and Finn's first night out since the birth of their child particularly standing out knowing that the couple wouldn't appreciate his absence. Being as though this would be the first and last night they'd have to drink before having to go back to being sensible parents._

…

_He goes through the motions of smiling and pretending to be happy at seeing everyone that he worked with on the campaign. Though it turns genuine as soon as he sees Kol smiling back at him. Both Elijah and Klaus at his side with a hint of the same. And he can't help but feel on edge at the two. Despite it seeming to be genuine._

"_I guess he didn't know either." Klaus states noting the nervous look on Damon's face._

"_Know what?"_

"_Your ex," Elijah starts "The journalist one, planned the event you decided to not show up to. The speech that I previously thought was an intern's work was one of your's."_

_Damon blinks._

"_She told us earlier this week. We crossed paths at a suit and tie event she planned that I was required to attend and told me. Quite the effort for someone who won't even look at her anymore."_

"_That was all Caroline?" Is all Damon finds himself able to say._

"_She also he gave me the speech I would read if I'm elected to office as her terms of ever planning anything for me again. After what the first did for me, I couldn't exactly say no. In fact," Elijah pauses and takes a breath "if you would be willing to do so, I'd like it if you came to work with us again. Apparently Kol is better suited to work with you."_

"_Your appreciation and belief in me never ceases to amaze me, Lijah." Kol says through a fake smile._

"_I'm aware you have a job, so just know that my offer will always stand." Elijah says then leaves the bar without another word but then reappears "Happy Birthday," and is off again._

"_Can't afford to have pictures of him partying with us surfacing." Klaus smirks. All three men turning when Finn comes to join them. A bottle of beer already in his hand._

"_Finn,"_

"_Just wanted to say my thanks."_

_He smiles "And Sage?"_

"_Over there," He points in his wife's direction. And Damon's eyes immediately go to Bonnie who is smiling at the pictures the red head is going through. No doubt of her child. Spotting Rebekah who is beaming proudly at the pictures that are passed to her._

"_Have you told her yet?"_

"_Told who what?" Damon frowns at Kol. His frown deepening when the Mikaelson men laugh then go to the nearby booth starting to fill the glasses on the table._

…

_Bonnie frowns when she looks around the room and doesn't spot Damon among the crowd. Going over to where her brothers are gathered and asks where he is. All of which shrug and she sighs before going to grab her discarded coat and slings her purse over her shoulder._

"_Try your place,"_

_Bonnie turns to Kol with narrowed eyes and he only smiles before returning his attention to his brothers._

…

_She finds him perched on the stoop of her apartment building. A brown paper bag in his hand that he takes a deep swig from before his glassy eyes shift to meet her own._

"_Bon Bon," He sings._

"_Oh, no," Bonnie mumbles, amusement present on her features and goes to sit next to him. Confiscating the bottle from his hand and taking a sip before he makes a grab for it._

"_God, you're beautiful."_

_He swallows when Bonnie sets the bottle to her side, looking up at him strangely. As if he were a wild animal, unsure of whether she should approach or run off into the opposite direction. He lets his eyes drop to her lips but quickly looks up to her eyes when she calls his name._

"_Damon," Bonnie breathes waiting until he meets her waiting gaze "don't do this." she says as soon as he opens his mouth again. "Please,"_

"_Would you believe me if I told you that I love you?" he ignores her plea "That I was in love you?"_

"_No,"_

"_No?" He repeats a little too loudly._

"_No, because if you did, you would have told me. I've seen you with engagement rings. I think you would've been able to tell me you had some kind of feelings for me without you having to be drunk."_

"_No," he shakes his head, denying her statement "Because you're the first person that I was afraid to hear the word no from."_

_Bonnie feels her breath catch in her throat and she turns away from him._

"_At least this way I won't remember the rejection." He fills the silence that falls between them._

"_Damon, you are...a lot of things," she stresses those last four words "but stupid is not one of them."_

_Damon frowns "What is that supposed to mean?"_

"_It means that you should have told me this the day I came back for you." Bonnie snaps, regretting her words when she sees his eyes clear._

_Damon stares at her then looks down, remembering the look on her face when she saw the ring in the box. It mirrored his own when she talked about the sorry excuse of a boyfriend that is probably strolling around her apartment as they speak. And before he knows it, he has his lips against her's and just as she starts to kiss him back, she jerks her head away._

"_What?"_

"_Not like this."_

"_Like what?"_

"_Like this," she waves her hand back and forth between them, then makes a sweeping motion down his frame "You're a mess. I had to come and get you tonight and you answered the door half hungover in a blanket. Beer bottles on your coffee table and takeout containers on the couch."_

"_I'm a mess," he repeats her accusation through a smile "That is rich coming from you."_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_You worked at a place where you clearly didn't want to be for months when you could have been anywhere else. And the only reason you even stopped is because the job ended. Then you leave to go travel the world, going to every place you ever dreamed of and you come back here. For me, who was in a relationship and yet you still stayed here. Getting a job at a bookshop shacked up with this loser you call a boyfriend. At least I tried to do something with my life. Went after my dreams. I'm a mess but I tried. What have you done?"_

_Bonnie waits until he's finished with his rant. Quickly wiping at the stray tear that slides down her cheek then calmly rises to her feet._

"_Bon, wait, I'm sorry. I didn't-"_

"_Goodbye, Damon." She cuts him off and lets the door close behind her._

Miranda gapes at him then lightly slaps her hands against his thigh several times until he slights her with a look that says 'Enough,'

"How could you say that to her?"

"It's why I don't drink anymore," Is all he says in response.

"So what happened?"

"Well, eventually I did find the book. Which I tried to return."

_August 15, 1998_

_He shifts on his feet as he waits for the door to open. And when it does he gets the greeting he both expects and deserves but not from the person that delivers it._

"_She's not home," Rebekah says rubbing the palm of her hand in an attempt to return some feeling into it. Taking pleasure in the imprint she's left on the raven haired man's cheek. Along with the fact that his head is turned away from her from the force of her slap._

"_It's very nice to see you again Bex," Damon says throughout the stinging sensation. And what he's sure to be a dislocated jaw._

_Rebekah narrows her eyes, as one hand goes to rest on her hip._

"_I just need to talk to her."_

"_If by talk you mean grovel at her feet then yes, you do. But as I just told you, she is not home."_

_Damon sighs "Can I wait?"_

"_I guess the neighbours won't mind stepping over you if you explain why you're being an inconvenience."_

"_Bekah, please."_

_Rebekah stares at him for a moment then sighs and moves to let him in._

"_Thank you,"_

"_Just don't touch anything," Rebekah remarks shrugging her coat over her shoulders._

"_Where are you going?"_

"_To pretend to be surprised at Marcel's proposal." She grins._

"_Oh?"_

"_I found the ring. The idiot hid it in his hamper."_

"_I didn't know that he knew what that was. Let alone owned one."_

"_Exactly!" She exclaims with a grin but then stops and scowls at him "I hate y-"_

"_Yeah, I know." He assures ushering the blonde out of the door handing her her purse and phone that she left on the table and closing the door in her face._

"_Ass,"_

_Damon smiles and goes to the shelf that looks the same as the last he was here. Save a few more copies and he's just about to reach for one when he spots a picture of Bonnie. His estranged friend in the midst of laughter with her eyes closed while a man with black hair that stands out against pale skin has his arms wrapped around her from behind, lips pressed against her cheek. As much as he wants to look away, he can't._

"_Damon, right?" A voice brings him out of his trance, making him spin around and try to find the source._

"_Yeah," he answers, trying to maintain a neutral look on his features at coming face to face with the man that clearly is making Bonnie happier than he's ever seen "Enzo?" He guesses._

_The man in question nods watching as Damon shifts on his feet under his stare "Sorry, it's just that I never imagined putting a face to the voice like this."_

_Damon frowns._

"_The messages," Enzo clarifies pointing to the phone and Damon closes his eyes._

"_Oh,"_

_Enzo grins at his girlfriend's former friend's obvious embarrassment but before he can say anything else he hears,_

"_Enzo, your phone is ringing!"_

"_Who's that?"_

"_Our roommate." Enzo answers, disdain clear in his voice "It was nice to finally meet you," He offers then disappears into what he assumes is Bonnie's room...or their room by what the man said._

_He glances at the book wrapped neatly in his hand then back to the room Enzo ducked into and leaves without another word._

"Claire is...I like her."

Damon looks at his daughter who lifts her shoulders in response.

_August 22, 1998_

_He's sitting at a table when he hears his name and looks up to see Caroline Forbes walking towards him, a bag in each hand and a small but noticeable baby bump due to the yellow sundress she's wearing._

"_Damon Salvatore," Caroline repeats voice filled with awe and that same dazzling smile that drew him the first time he saw her. She walks over to the table and places her bags down, wrapping her arms around him. "You look good," She says once she pulls away from him._

"_I look homeless." Damon counters looking down at the worn out jeans and faded black t-shirt he's wearing and she laughs._

"_Well you're pulling it off very well." She takes it upon herself to sit at the table and reaches out for a slice of his personal pizza picking the mushrooms off and moaning at her first bite "I haven't had pizza in forever. I was craving cheese so I decided to just go and get some but it looks like this is what they wanted."_

"_They?"_

"_Twins," she smiles looking down at her baby bump "I'm not sure what I'm having just yet. I want it to be a surprise."_

"_Congratulations,"_

"_Thank you," she looks at him then averts her eyes for a moment "Look, about what happened. What I did," she corrects herself "I want to apologize. Make it up to you."_

"_Oh, you don't-"_

"_Oh, I do. I definitely do. I mean I know I kind of did make it up to you but that was impersonal. And considering what I did...I should have never done that. Especially to you." she pauses "Anyway I'm having this party. I would like it if you would come. Maybe this will be a start."_

_Damon swallows when she stares at him and sighs nodding his head._

"_Okay," she reaches for her purse and retrieves a small notepad and a pen and starts to write down her address along with the time and date "I'll see you then?"_

_He nods his agreement._

"_In case this is the last time I do see you, it really was nice to see you again."_

"Candice was having a baby?" Miranda looks at Damon "That wasn't yours?" Her eyes widen.

"Yes, but I was happy for her." He frowns when he sees the panic creep into her eyes. Not understanding where it was coming from. Before he can question it she shakes her head and balls herself under her covers.

"This was a bad idea." She says turning her back to him.

"Em," he tries.

"You're not my dad, are you?"

Damon frowns and closes his eyes "Of course I'm your-"

"My real one," she clarifies and he sighs "I know it didn't have a happy ending but I still...I still wanted a chance of it being one."

"But it does have a happy ending."

"How? You and Mom are getting a divorce. What is happy about that?"

"Just because your mother and I aren't together anymore doesn't mean we aren't happy."

Miranda looks at him "Happy people don't get divorced."

"Not all happy people get married either."

"But you and Mom did."

Damon looks down, "Maybe we should stop,"

"No,"

Damon sighs "How about some tea?" He offers knowing that it would be best that he at least gives her some time alone.

Miranda stares at him for a moment. Knowing very well what he's attempting to do but gets the feeling that it might be for himself as well. So she nods and watches as he leaves before turning to lay on her side.

He goes to fill up the pot and sets in on the stove top to boil and strolls over to the floor to ceiling window and admires the view. Only turning away when he hears the sound signaling the water being hot enough and goes to place a teabag in two mugs. Pouring the water into each and carefully picks them up going back into his daughter's room. Only to find her sprawled out on her bed. Smiling at the sight he takes a tentative sip from his mug before setting them down. Going to cover her, and placing a quick kiss to her hair before leaving the room.

* * *

The next day they're walking hand in hand to their usual meeting point where her parents trade her off.

"I'm sorry about last night. That wasn't very mature of me."

Damon smiles and looks at her as they sit down on a bench. Breaking the donut off in his hand, handing one half off to his daughter.

"I think I know who my Mom is."

"Oh?" Damon raises an eyebrow.

She nods and takes a bite of her half of the pastry, "I was looking over my notes and something kept sticking out. But I do want to hear the rest."

"Are you sure?"

She reaches for his half and takes a bite before handing it back and looking up at him expectantly.

"Okay, so I did decide to go to Candice's party." He starts, taking a sip from her hot cocoa and ignores the pinched look on his daughter's face.

_November 6, 1998_

"_These are beautiful," Caroline says taking the bouquet of yellow roses Damon offers her "thank you."_

"_It's the least I could do. Can't really beat getting me my job back but…" He trails off with a shrug._

"_I really am sorry for what I did. I know that I hurt you."_

"_It's fine," He tries to wave her off._

"_No it's not." she disagrees "But I want to make it up to you."_

"_Caroline, you already did make it up to me. More than made up for it, actually." He reiterates._

"_I have this friend." She talks over him._

"_Care,"_

"_No really, I think that you two would hit it off."_

"_At least meet her," Caroline says "what could it hurt?"_

"_Me," Damon answers, hand on his chest to make his point and she laughs but continues to purposely lead him to where said friend is standing._

"_Oh, there she is," Watching from the corner of her eye as he stares at her but then follows her line of sight and his heart skips a beat at who he sees._

_His ex turning to walk in their direction but stops upon seeing the two of them together. Her eyes lowering to her feet as her hand goes to tuck a stray hair behind her ear._

"Nina," Miranda says excitedly "It is Nina, right?"

Damon nods.

"_Hey," Elena utters softly._

"_Hey," Damon responds._

_Somehow he lets her talk him into leaving with her and they find themselves walking along the bridge. Laughing and talking as if they were...them. But then the setting seems to register as they meet each other's gaze and look away just as fast._

"_What happened to us?" Elena wonders aloud and they both know it's not a question that needs an answer._

"_You slept with my roommate." Damon replies candidly _

_with a grin and Elena scoffs._

"_Ouch," She places her hand over her heart._

"_We weren't ready." he says after a beat of silence "We grew apart and I wasn't ready to accept that and you knew that it would take what you did to push me away."_

_Elena bites her lip and lifts her hand to his face, swiping his cheek with her thumb as she says "I still shouldn't have done that to you. You didn't deserve that."_

"That!" Miranda yells making Damon jump "That's how I figured it out. Mom always does that when I'm sad."

"Is it?"

Miranda looks at him expectantly between chews.

"Final answer?"

She nods. Then turns to follow Damon's line of sight to see her mom walking towards them. A look of surprise taking over her mother's features when she starts to run towards her. Though immediately moves to catch her when she launches herself into her mother's arms.

"I'm so glad it's you. I don't know what I would have done if it wasn't."

Elena Gilbert frowns and places her daughter back onto her feet, looking at Miranda strangely as she asks "Who else would I be?"

Instead of answering the question she turns to look at Damon "Can Dad come with us to the zoo?"

Elena's eyebrows raise at her daughter's request "If he wants to," Looking up to her ex to see that they're both on the same page of where this was going. Nearly laughing when he looks down to her mini me's face and sees Miranda staring him down.

"Yeah, sure. I love the zoo."

Elena snorts giving him a look but looks down when Miranda grabs her hand and looks over to see that she's done the same to Damon. On reflex they raise their hands and allow her to swing between them. Sharing a look as they continue on their way.

**...**

Three hours later they find themselves back at the meeting point. Miranda sitting on a nearby bench. Close enough for them to see her, but far enough so she can't hear what they're saying. Mindful enough that she's trying her hardest as her eyes are trained on the two.

"Sex?" Elena frowns then looks to her daughter before turning back to Damon who nods "But she's barely…" she trails off "You didn't…"

"No, I'm leaving that all up to you."

"Thanks," Elena says sarcastically.

"Or we could always pawn it off to your sister."

"Hm, I was leaning more towards Kol."

"Stefan, it is," Damon settles.

Elena laughs "I would actually pay to see that." she pauses "But the school really should've told us about...that. I know she asked you something."

"If she was a mistake." Damon answers watching as a mortified look takes residence on the brunette's face and he quickly shakes his head "A surprise. I told her that she was a surprise. A really welcomed surprise."

Elena looks at him but then concedes "Well that's not a lie."

Damon shrugs and returns the smile that his action earns. Watching as her hand goes towards his face but stops and reroutes to push her hair back. Before she nods her head and turns to their daughter. Both smiling when Miranda jumps up from her seat and starts to walk over to where they stand. He immediately picks her up and places a kiss to her cheek. Raising his hand towards his ex wife and turns on his heel. He's only taken a few steps when he hears Miranda calling after him and turns to see her running towards him. Dropping to his haunches as she nears him.

"You never told me this supposed happy ending."

"I didn't think I had too." Damon replies.

"What is it?"

"You," He answers, and frowns when her eyes water and he immediately lifts his hands to wipe her tears away. Blinking when her arms are wrapped around his neck but quickly goes along with it, meeting his ex's eyes over his daughter's shoulders who looks on worriedly.

"Oh, Sweetie," He hears Elena say when she sees the red eyes and frowns at him before returning her full attention to their daughter and walking away.

* * *

He's just popped the lid off of a cardboard box when his phone starts to ring.

"You told her our story." The voice on the other end jumps right to the point of their call.

"I...uh...yeah," he stammers "I did,"

"Nina," she says after a beat "I actually like it. Chris however…"

"I kept it as P.G. as possible."

"I know, but one day she is going to figure out that that wasn't a valid excuse to break up and-"

"I will take the heat and tell her-"

"The truth,"

"Elena," Damon sighs.

"Can't hide it for forever. I don't want her to think that you're the bad guy in our story."

"Neither do I,"

Elena sniffles at the genuine concern in his tone "It was good while it lasted. I wish that we could have had more."

"It was," he agrees "but I think we stopped before we got to the point you predicted."

She lets out a humorless chuckle "I'm glad we could be adults about it this time."

"Yeah," He breathes.

"Well it was nice talking to you, Ian, but I know it's past your bedtime. So I'll let you go."

Damon chuckles "It was nice talking to you too, Nina." Smiling at the warm laugh that he hears before the ending of the call. Noting that it no longer gives him the flutter he usually felt in his chest whenever he managed to elicit the sound from her. Tossing the phone to the couch he goes back to his search and finally comes across the blue wrapping paper and sighs as he holds it.

* * *

"Good morning," Damon smiles and the man seated at his post looks away from the screen and at him. Surprised when he lets him in before he can even pull out his hard pass.

"Mr. Mikaelson told me that if I ever saw you then to just let you in." He shrugs.

Damon smiles at the reveal and looks up at the grandiose building before making his way towards the entrance.

Fifteen minutes later he's in the West Wing, trailing behind the woman as she leads him to an office. Opening the door after the owner calls out,

"Come in,"

He thanks her with a smile and strolls inside watching as the delight settles on his friend's features.

"Damon Salvatore," Kol Mikaelson stands up from his chair with a grin walking over to his old roommate and pulls in for a hug "Have you finally decided to take us up on our offer?"

"Not quite,"

Kol frowns then looks down as he's told the real reason behind his visit.

"I don't know about that."

"Why? Afraid the misses will kick you out?"

"So you understand why I can't do that," Kol smiles "That's good, I was afraid you'd hate me."

Damon groans "What about the President? Surely she couldn't act out on her little violent streak with Secret Service present."

"Hmph," Kol laughs "Oh you'd be surprised of the things we let her get away with."

"Tell you what," Kol walks over to his desk and grabs a pen and a piece of paper "I will tell you where she works."

"She doesn't work here?"

"No, she left a few months back. To be her own boss. She finally started that business she wanted. Big time fixer on the side. Vice versa, really but that's what she does now."

"Fixer," Damon repeats "A bit ironic, considering."

"Yeah, but this probably won't be one she'll look forward to." he answers looking up from the paper he's scribbling on, afterwards holding it up for Damon to take "Just promise me you won't end up getting yourself banned from Virginia."

"She can't possibly have that much juice."

"She's one of the little sisters of the President of the United States, his Chief of Staff and the Vice President. Not to mention the _actual_ blood relation of the Chief of Staff's wife. And best friend of the their other baby sister who just so happens to be the wife of the V.P's Chief of Staff. All Bonnie has to do is show up with a trace of evidence that she's been crying."

"Okay so maybe she does." Damon concedes before he straightens his spine and attempts to lighten the mood "But as writer of the speech that put the President back on the map and later in the Oval and best friend of the President's Chief of Staff has to get me some weight. Like at the very least a ban on the premises and a restraining order."

"It's Bonnie," Kol says.

"Yeah," Damon sighs "I know. But, thank you." He holds up the slip of paper.

Kol nods "I would tell you to tell me how it goes, but..." He smiles at the death glare Damon sends him.

* * *

The elevator doors open slowly and he walks inside taking in an open floor space office that looks more to be as a loft. A tiny kitchen on his right and two rooms to his left. When he walks further he comes sees her through the glass as she eyes several photos being put up by a girl with long brown hair while two men stand off to the side.

"I'm sorry Sir but we're already in the middle of a case." A voice comes from beside him.

"Davina it's fine," A familiar voice steps in and he's unable to hide his surprise as instead of the hostile greeting he was expecting—and probably deserved. Especially since it appeared as it served as an interruption of what was obviously a meeting he gets a bright smile instead.

"Damon Salvatore, what a nice surprise."

"Oh please," he snorts "Kol told Luce as soon as I left."

"Kol?" Bonnie frowns "You saw Kol?" then bursts out into laughter when he falls for it "Easier than ever." she remarks then turns to lead him to her own office "So what are you doing here?" She asks when they're both seated.

"I have something for you," He answers and pulls out the wrapped peace offering, watching as her eyebrows knit together but takes it. Swallowing when she rips into the paper, then abruptly stops, looking up at him with tear filled eyes before tossing the wrappings to the side and opening the book.

"You found it," she chokes out looking back and forth between the dedication and himself "How?" she smiles "When?"

"The bookshop on twenty second back in Manhattan. About ten…" he stops when she looks at him "years ago." Flinching when her tears of joy turn to pure unfiltered anger.

"Bon," Damon tries.

"Get out," She says softly.

"Please just let me explain," He pleads but she only turns away from him and before he can do anything he hears,

"I think you should do as she asks before it turns into something you won't have a choice in."

And when he turns to see a man with blonde hair and blue eyes that don't match the dark tone he just heard. He thinks he would laugh but it stops as soon as the man's eyes darken and lips turn down at the corners.

He's halfway to the elevator when he hears,

"Bon, I can handle that,"

"Matt," he hears the exasperation, yet genuine concern in Bonnie's voice "You can't," she sighs "That can't be your solution to everything."

"I know," Matt responds after a moment.

"Promise me,"

He practically bolts to the elevator pressing the button repeatedly as if that would make it get here faster.

* * *

He's just finished tucking Miranda in when he hears a pounding at his door and he glances at his window. Contemplating if he could make a run for it down the fire escape with his daughter in tow. Without getting child services called on him.

"Open up Damon, I know you're in there."

He tenses then reluctantly goes to open the door, watching in shock as Elijah enters the room, both Klaus and Kol on his heels. He spots several Secret Service standing guard in the hallway but what really scares him is Lucy and Rebekah barging in. The only thing putting a stop to his possible execution being his daughter padding down the hallway.

"Dad?" Miranda calls out, "What is…" she trails off and gasps when she sees the group surrounding her father "Woah,"

"Of course," Rebekah mutters seeing the young girl standing in the hallway. All long brown hair and wide brown eyes.

"Rebekah," Elijah scolds his sister despite feeling the same. Damon Salvatore truly had Guardian Angels to rival.

"Hello," Lucy says, bending down so she's at eye level with the young girl who stares back at her.

"Hi,"

"You must be Miranda," Lucy continues "I'm-"

"Natasha," Miranda chimes in making Lucy blink and everyone aside from Damon chuckle who closes his eyes "Well, Lucy, obviously, but that's the name I got in the story."

"The story," Lucy frowns.

"Yeah, Dad told me how he met my mom. He changed everyone's name. I should have figured that you were Bonnie's sister when he mentioned Uncle Kol's wife."

"You know my sister?"

"She's the only one who's name he didn't change."

Damon looks at his daughter, eyes pleading for her to stop, ignoring all eyes going to him.

"I'm pretty sure it was an excuse for him to say her name. It's the only one that he didn't hesitate to say whenever he talked about her and he almost looked relaxed at it. Like it was killing him to not-"

"Miranda," Damon cuts her off.

"No," Kol leans towards his friend "I really think you should let her continue, it seems to be the only thing keeping you with your kneecaps in tact."

"With everything in tact," Rebekah mutters, glaring at Damon.

"I always wanted to meet you." Miranda says peering around Lucy to look at Rebekah who's features soften "Not a lot of people scare him. I hope this doesn't offend you but I can see why."

"And why is that?"

"Your claws only come out when given a reason to. I think I like that Bonnie is one of them. I would like if I was to but he really screwed that up."

"Miranda,"

"Sorry,"

"I could adopt you and share custody with your mother." Rebekah smiles "Emma could use someone to hang out with. I think she's grown tired of her sister and cousins."

"That would be nice." Miranda smiles but then looks to her father "As long as I can see him on Saturdays."

"I'm sure that could be arranged."

"But it won't. As upset as she is right now, I'm sure my sister wouldn't be okay with you taking his daughter from him."

"She doesn't have to know and Miranda actually wants to come."

"Bex," Lucy looks at her sister in law and Rebekah huffs and crosses her arms over her chest in response.

Kol walks over to Miranda and hauls her into his arms.

"Uncle Kol," She groans.

"I thought you had some project you needed done."

"Shh," she clamps her hand over his mouth looking at her father that has a frown on his face "Big mouth,"

Kol laughs and continues on his way to her room.

"If I were a less secure woman I'd think you started a little side family with my husband."

"I wouldn't call it that." Damon smiles.

"You hurt her, Damon."

"I know,"

"She told you the story behind it and you kept it from her for a decade."

"I know,"

"Why?"

"That hideous thing you had in your hand." Rebekah steps in staring at Damon who looks away "That was what you had when you came to visit her."

He nods,

"Why not just leave it?"

"Leave it with her boyfriend to give her so he could take the credit?"

Rebekah purses her lips "Well you haven't exactly been a stranger to Kol, he's semi decent."

"He wanted an excuse to see her!" A voice calls out making Lucy smile.

"She may have been blessed with her mother's looks but your genes completely took over her personality." Lucy snorts.

"You lot are awfully quiet," Rebekah looks at her brothers.

"I wouldn't appreciate it if my daughter would hear all the things I want to say to him. So I'm choosing to show him the same courtesy." Klaus answers.

"Look," Damon starts but stops when he hears a knock on his door and looks at everyone before going to answer it. Stilling when he sees Bonnie standing on the other side.

"Can I come in?" Bonnie breaks the silence.

"Yeah," He chokes out looking to the Secret Service wondering why they let her get this far. But steps to the side to let her in.

Bonnie takes in the occupants of the room then places her hand to Damon's chest pushing him back and nodding her head towards the door. Holding Elijah's gaze until he complies and strolls out of the door his siblings following and rolls her eyes as she sees that they all stay in the hallway.


End file.
